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Even though we just arrived to Shanghai, it does not seem like we left Hong Kong. The same yellow skin, the same skyscrapers, the same perfection… When we were there, we thought that Hong Kong’s good economy was due to the ZEM (Zone of Especial Millionaires). That means that since they don’t pay taxes, instead of being sucked, they are the ones who suck. However, the residents of Shanghai pay taxes like the next man, so if both cities seem to be doing really well, that might not be the reason.

It didn’t take us too much time to understand the reason for its success. They work like the Chinese. In both cities. They don’t stop, all day from here to there. Actually, behind every great work in the world, you will always find Chinese people. No joke. That is why in every self-respecting European city, there is a Chinese neighbourhood, and Shanghai has nothing to envy to any of those cities, not even democracy.

It is true that in China there is only one political party, but most of the public offices are elected democratically, within the party but by ballot. That is something that hardly happens in any European party, the so-called democratic. In Europe the boss is the one who decides everything, from the members of the cabinet to the most irrelevant position. Sometimes they even decide about their successor. So, democracy… what democracy? However, in China every person is their own party. The ones who want to be candidates, or simply to have the right to vote, only have to enroll the party. If they can convince the other members, they will be elected, if not they stay home. If you can leave your prejudices aside, you will see that their system has many advantages. Here, you vote if you want, but you must show interest and become a member of the party. The rest don’t vote. It does not sound too bad because the truth is that the vote of somebody really concerned cannot count the same as the vote of somebody who does not know what a political program is, know what’s going on in the world through the yellow press, their point of view is the one of the media of their choice,  won’t vote if it’s sunny because they will go to enjoy the weather, and neither will they if it rains because they will stay at home, will vote their party without even questioning the new candidate, or even worse, the most handsome or the nicest, without taking into account their abilities. After all that the first choice does not look too bad!

Besides, having only one party, there are no orders to vote. Everybody votes according to their opinions and conscience. Not like in Europe, where the boss decides if you vote in one direction or the other, and even if you think completely the opposite, you must follow the principles of the party. If you don’t follow them you will be the in the eye of the storm and they will accuse you of turncoat. All because you wanted to vote honestly for something that you thought was fair. Politicians hide behind the excuse that they don’t have time to study all laws and they have to delegate their criterion to other leaders that share the same ideals. That means that we are paying high salaries to people who press buttons to make other people think.

One example is the House of Lords in Great Britain, an entity whose members have the right to veto any law and return it to the Parliament, as long it is a reasoned verdict. It is true that they are not democratically elected and that the only merit that many of them have is to be related to nobility, but it is changing, little by little, and it is becoming a real House of Wise Men. For some decades the new members are only personalities who have proved to be extraordinary in each of their professional fields. It does not sound bad to be governed by just a few people. Not the ones who are promoted in the party they belong to, but the best. In other words, an “enlightened” government that is really needed.

Or even better, a private government. If you like it, you pay. If not, they don’t get a penny. It is like if you are buying a car with a warranty: if they don’t do what they promised, you get a refund. With the countries it sounds crazy, but with the cities is closer to happen than what we think. It is called City Marketing. Every city has certain qualities or ‘brand’ positioning and they must advertise them, but above everything, they have to carry them out. It is the 7 F’s: facilities, fashion, fun, feel, fortune and future. If you do it well, you will have your reward. More and more people will want to live in your city and you can collect more taxes. Maragall, the mayor that got the Olympic games for Barcelona in ’92, said once to a Chinese newspaper: “The distinctive sign in the future will be the cities, not the countries”. And Shanghai is one of the best. No doubt about it!